INTRODUCTION TO DE SPECIALIBUS LEGIBUS, II
The Third Commandment (1–38).
While swearing at all is to be deprecated, since the simple word should be enough, to swear by parents or heaven and the like is better than using God’s name (1–5), which many do recklessly (6–8). When swearing is necessary the oath must be performed, if it can be lawfully (9). To call God to witness a falsehood is impious (10–11). Criminal or vindictive oaths, however, should not be performed (12–17). Philo then condemns the arrogant swearing of the extravagant rich and contrasts them with others who though rich live simply (18–23). He discusses vows and particularly the rule by which widows, unlike virgins and wives, cannot cancel a vow (24–25). This is susceptible of an allegorical interpretation (28–31). This is interrupted by 26–27, which returns to the subject of perjury and the penalties for the perjuror and his accomplices. The Pentateuchal regulations for assessing votive offerings are then discussed, when the votary offers (a) himself (32–34), (b) an animal (35–36), (c) a house (37–38).
The Fourth Commandment (39–222).
Philo begins with a sketch of the way in which he proposes to treat the subject (39), followed by some remarks on the sacred number Seven (41), and a list of the ten feasts (41).
The first feast is the feast of every day. This conception, that the ideal life of the true philosopher is one continuous feast, is worked out with much eloquence (42–49). For its scriptural foundation see note on § 45.
The second feast, the Sabbath itself, after some further remarks on the mystical properties of Seven (56–59), is set forth partly as a necessary respite from toil (60), but still more as a time for exercising the soul in contrast to the body (61–64). The prohibition of fire (65), and the extension of the rest to servants (65–68), and to cattle (69–70) are noted. With the Sabbath we may associate other institutions which bear witness to the sanctity of Seven: (a) the cancellation of debts in the seventh year (71–73), and this leads to a denunciation of lending money on interest in general (74–78); (b) liberation of slaves in the same year, which provides an occasion for the lesson of treating slaves humanely (79–85); (c) the same lesson that consideration should be shewn not only by masters to servants, but by rulers to subjects is taught by the “sabbatical year,” which leaves the land fallow in the seventh year (86–103), and also by throwing the fields open encourages generosity to the poor (104–109); (d) the same applies to the fiftieth year, in which estates return to the original owners (110–115), with special regulations about houses (116–121) and debtors and purchased slaves (122–123). This is followed by some general remarks (for the connexion see note on § 124) about the laws of inheritance (124–132), and the right of primogeniture (133–139).
The third feast is the New Moon, and some observations on the place of the moon in the system of things is subjoined (140–144). Fourth is the Passover, a feast in which each layman acts as priest, interpreted by Philo as the “Crossing” from the passions to wisdom (145–149). Fifth is “Unleavened Bread,” and reasons are given for the time at which it occurs and the nature of the food enjoined (150–161). Sixth, the offering of the “Sheaf,” is combined with the two just mentioned. Philo takes this first offering of the harvest in the double aspect of a thank-offering, (a) for the whole world (162–167), and (b) for Israel, acknowledging how much the harvest owes to nature rather than man (168–175).
Seventh is the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (179–187). Eighth is the opening of the sacred month, or Feast of Trumpets (188–192). Ninth the Fast or Day of Atonement (193–203). Tenth the Feast of Tabernacles (204–214). All these are accompanied by a number of reflections on their origin and significance. Besides these there is the rite of offering the “Basket,” for which no date can be fixed (215–222).
The Fifth Commandment (223–241).
The claims of parents are justified on the grounds that their position as Creators is analogous to that of God, and that they are the seniors, the benefactors, the rulers and the absolute masters or owners of their children (223–236). But the commandment also enjoins respect to age in general (237–238), and also the duty of parents to avoid undue indulgence (239–241).
The treatise concludes with declaring death to be the appropriate punishment for disobedience, to the Fifth (242–248), the Fourth (249–251), the Third (252–254), the Second and First (255–256). The rewards for obedience, except the Fifth, for which a definite reward is mentioned, are to be found in the thought that virtue is its own reward (257–262).
For Cohn’s Numeration of Chapters see Gen. Int. p. xviii.